In the interval between initial testing and re-examination, participants completed annual telephone and secured internet follow-ups through 6 years(34), excluding year 3 to avoid participant burden. The follow-ups included similar measures as those at baseline screening, including the SCID DSM-IV AUD module(36), TLFB(38), QFI(35), AUDIT(39), and Dr-InC2R(40). The number of AUD criteria endorsed was the main dependent outcome variable assessed during follow-up to reflect the dimensional nature of these symptoms(62). The DSM-IV criteria are similar to those in DSM-5(8, 62) with the former including an item for alcohol-related legal problems that has since been dropped and excluding the DSM-5 item for craving that had not yet been developed.
